1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cold box or cooler for motor vehicles or similar mobile provisions, which have their own on board electric power supply grid and in particular for passenger motor vehicles, where a refrigerant compressor of a refrigeration plant supplying a cooling chamber, which is provided with at least one closable filling and removal opening, is driven by an electric motor connectable to the on board electric power supply grid.
Known cooling boxes of this kind are for example employed in modern overland and long distance buses in order to have available beverages and other cooled items for the passengers of the bus. The boxes are chest-like containers, which are placed at a suitable location in the space for the passengers and which have on top or the cooling chamber a filling and emptying opening, which can be closed with a flap or a cover. The refrigeration aggregate, comprising a condenser following the compressor in the refrigerant cycle, is disposed below or on the side of the cooling chamber in such provisions, while the evaporator contained in the cooling chamber follows the condenser via an expansion unit, which in general is provided by a capillary.
Cooling boxes of this kind cannot be used in motor vehicles with limited space in view of their space requirements, since they require an area corresponding about to a seat in a vehicle. Therefore, the need for a cooling box on board cannot be satisfied with the available apparatus in particular with passenger motor vehicles, but also in the case of pleasure boats and sport and private aircraft.
2. Purpose of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cold box for confined and/or cramped quarters.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a cold box suitable for motor vehicles and private aircraft and which requires only limited space which is unsuitable for other functional provisions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cooler, which constructed to serve as a built-in unit for motor vehicles and which can easily be mounted, exchanged or removed.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident from the description which follows.